"We do many different things because helicopters are multi-mission capable." (Video Interview, 2:56)

George Jerome Marsinko

George Marsinko [2005] War: Persian Gulf War, 1991 Branch: Navy Service Location: Jacksonville, Florida; San Diego, California Rank: Chief Place of Birth: NJ

In 1989, at the age of 19, George Marsinko joined the Navy after his father died and there was no money for him to attend college. He spent the next 16 years manning helicopters that flew primarily antisubmarine missions. His belief that if you train properly you'll know how to handle yourself under pressure served him well through a variety of missions. Marsinko understood the complexities of helicopters, which allowed them to perform so many tasks but also made them challenging to operate and maintain.